A child’s home should be where they feel safest. But unfortunately, for far too many, that is not the case. An unfortunate consequence of the COVID shutdowns, and remote learning, is that children who have unstable homes have spent the last year in constant turmoil, deprived of adequate contact with their peers, teachers, and other mandatory reporters in school. Countless articles have highlighted this crisis and yet it continues. I have appreciated Sen. Susan Collins’ advocacy on behalf of our children, urging a speedy return to full-time in-person learning. Now is the time for the federal government to swiftly pass her bill supporting the National Child Abuse Hotline.

The National Child Abuse Hotline is the only major nationwide hotline that doesn’t receive dedicated federal funding. This means that each budget cycle, the nonprofit that provides this critical service, Childhelp, must fight for allocations. For only $2 million per year, the critical hotline could be fully funded and stable.

Last year, Childhelp received more than 100,000 calls, a figure that breaks my heart. Let’s keep America’s children as safe as we can by making sure that this important resource is always available. Thank you for your attention to this important matter, Sen. Collins!

Amy Volk,
Scarborough